The Stable · Chapter 13

Mounts of the Water

Mounts for sea peoples, river peoples, and anyone who needs to cross a strait without a ship.

Read Chapter 5 for breath and depth. A Surface Rider is the only kind a land-dweller should try without preparation.

Hippocampus

Sea horse, wave steed

2 swim 2 12 2 0 / 1 16

3 / 3 / 1 / 3 / 2 / 1 40 4000 Rare Aquatic, Light Swimmer, Surface Rider, Swift

  • Attacks: Tail Slap (Unarmed; Damage 4; Crit 4; Knockdown)

The forequarters of a horse and the tail of a great fish. It is the cavalry horse of sea peoples and the easiest water mount for a land rider, because it keeps its head, and its rider's, above the surface unless told otherwise.

Giant Seahorse

Reef pony, current rider

1 swim 1 8 1 1 / 1 6

2 / 3 / 1 / 2 / 2 / 1 15 600 Restricted None Swimmer, Small Mount, Anchor Tail, Steady

  • Attacks: Snout Butt (Unarmed; Damage 2; Crit 5)

A true seahorse grown to the size of a pony, ridden upright by small sea folk. It is slow and impossible to startle. Anchor Tail: it holds itself and its rider in place against any current.

Riding Dolphin

Sea runner, wave-friend

2 swim 3 11 2 1 / 1 8

3 / 4 / 2 / 3 / 3 / 2 60 — Rare None Swimmer, Surface Rider, Leaper, Echo Sense, Bonded Only

  • Attacks: Ram (Unarmed; Damage 4; Crit 4; Knockdown)

A dolphin carries a rider who holds a harness, for as long as it finds the arrangement interesting. It is not owned. It is the fastest mount in the water and it will not take anyone below the surface for longer than a breath.

Orca

Sea wolf, blackfish

3 swim 2 20 4 0 / 1 24

4 / 3 / 2 / 3 / 3 / 1 50 15000 Rare Aquatic, Light Swimmer, Battle-Trained, Echo Sense, Boat Hazard, Bonded Only, Meat-Eater

  • Attacks: Bite (Unarmed; Damage 7; Crit 3; Pierce 1); Tail Slam (Unarmed; Damage 6; Crit 4; Knockdown)

The war mount of cold seas. It hunts in a pod and so does its rider's clan. Boat Hazard: its ram counts as a Siege 2 attack against a small boat.

Giant Sea Turtle

Island turtle, shell-raft

3 swim 1 22 6 0 / 0 60

4 / 1 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 1 25 6000 Rare None Swimmer, Surface Rider, Platform, Armoured Hide, Enduring, Steady

  • Attacks: Bite (Unarmed; Damage 5; Crit 4)

A turtle with a shell five metres across, carrying a deck and an awning. It crosses open ocean without rest and comes ashore to lay. Traders live on them.

River Drake

Water drake, marsh dragon

3 1, swim 2 18 5 0 / 1 20

4 / 3 / 1 / 3 / 3 / 0 25 12000 Rare Reptile, Medium Swimmer, Amphibious, Battle-Trained, Boat Hazard, Meat-Eater, Temper 2

  • Attacks: Bite (Heavy Melee; Damage 6; Crit 3; Pierce 1); Tail Sweep (Heavy Melee; Damage 5; Crit 4; Knockdown)

A wingless drake of rivers and estuaries, ridden in a high saddle with the rider's legs clear of the water. It comes out onto the bank to fight.

Giant Otter

River hound, water-dog

2 2, swim 2 16 4 1 / 1 12

3 / 3 / 1 / 3 / 3 / 1 30 2500 Restricted Mustelid, Light Swimmer, Amphibious, Swift, Playful

  • Attacks: Bite (Unarmed; Damage 5; Crit 3; Pierce 2)

An otter the length of a boat, as quick on a bank as in the water. It is ridden by river people and used to haul nets and tow skiffs. Playful: on a Calamity from any Riding check, it dives.

Sea Serpent

Tide serpent, wave wyrm

3 swim 2 18 5 0 / 1 18

4 / 3 / 1 / 3 / 3 / 0 40 20000 Rare None Swimmer, Battle-Trained, Boat Hazard, Bonded Only, Meat-Eater, Temper 2

  • Attacks: Bite (Heavy Melee; Damage 6; Crit 3; Pierce 2); Coil (Unarmed; Damage 5; Crit 4; Ensnare 3)

A serpent ten metres long with a ridge of fins. Its rider sits behind the head in a saddle laced to the fin spines. Nothing about it is tame.

Giant Crab

Shore walker, shell steed

2 1, swim 1 14 5 0 / 0 18

3 / 2 / 0 / 2 / 2 / 0 10 2000 Rare None Amphibious, Bottom Walker, Armoured Hide, Platform, Steady

  • Attacks: Claw (Unarmed; Damage 6; Crit 3; Ensnare 2)

A crab with a carapace wide enough for a saddle frame and two riders. Bottom Walker: it walks the sea floor as readily as the beach, and its riders must see to their own air.

Giant Frog

Marsh hopper, bog steed

2 2, swim 2 12 2 1 / 0 10

3 / 3 / 0 / 2 / 2 / 0 20 900 Restricted None Amphibious, Leaper, Wader, Temper 1

  • Attacks: Tongue (Unarmed; Damage 2; Crit —; Short; Ensnare 2); Bite (Unarmed; Damage 4; Crit 4)

A frog the size of an ox, saddled behind the eyes. It ignores the travel penalty for marsh and crosses water without noticing the difference.

Manta

Sea wing, ray glider

3 swim 2 14 2 1 / 1 20

3 / 4 / 1 / 3 / 2 / 1 60 8000 Rare None Swimmer, Platform, Glider, Swift

  • Attacks: Tail Lash (Unarmed; Damage 4; Crit 4; Disorient 2)

A ray with a wingspan of eight metres, ridden lying flat or kneeling by up to three people. Glider: it may leap from the surface and glide one range band through the air.